Four-wheel trailer



C. WILLIAMS FOUR-WHEEL TRAILER Filed March 29, 1946 uvmvrm CHESTERWILLIAMS BY ,W a

A T TORNE Y Patented Oct. 4, 1249 FOUR-WHEEL TRAILER Chester Williams,Ypsilanti, Mich., assignor of fifty per cent to Marvin Ray Hannum andfifty per cent to John Sherrod De Tar, both of Milan,

Mich.

Application March 29, 1946,Serial No. 658,263

This invention relates to automobile trailers, and has particularreference to a four wheel trailer.

An object of the invention is the provision of a four wheel trailerwhich has positive steering on all four wheels.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a four wheel trailerwhich is constructed and arranged to prevent whipping and jackknifinother object of the invention is the provi- 1 Claim. (Cl. 280-102)sion of a four wheel trailer with steering mechanism adapted to causethe wheels of the trailer to align themselves.

Another object of the invention is the provi sion of a, device of thecharacter indicated which is constructed and arranged in such manner asto provide flexibility of attachment to the towing vehicle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter indicated which permits the trailer to be turned within acomparatively small radius.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a four Wheel trailerwhich provides positive backing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a four wheel trailerwhich is constructed and arranged to provide a high safety factor whenbeing towed at high speeds.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being madefrom time to time to the accompanying drawings,

forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail partly in section showing thepulley mountings and drag links.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understoodthat in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference characters 1, 8,9, I0, II and I2 indicate the members comprising the trailer frame,which is mounted on the wheels l3, l4, l5 and I6 through the axles l1and I8, rear springs l9, front springs 20, and the spring supports 2|.

The wheels [3, l4, l5 and I6 are supported on spindles which pivot onthe axles l1 and 18, as at 22, 23, 24 and 25. The spindles are providedwith spindle arms 26, 21, 28 and 29. The rear 2 spindle arms 26 and 21are connected by a tie rod 30, and the front spindle arms 28 and 29 areconnected by a tie rod 3|, so that the front and rear wheels move inpairs.

Secured to the top of the frame members I and 8 above and in alignmentwith the axles l1 and I8, respectively, are bed plates 32 and 33 whichare adapted to support elements of the steering mechanism as hereinafterdescribed. The bed plate 33 has a central opening 34 (Fig. 3) adapted toaccommodate one end of a hub 35, which is bolted beneath the plate 33,as at 36. A spindle 31 is adapted to rotate in the hub 35 on suitablebearings 38 and 39. The lower end of the spindle 31 is provided with aflange 49, to which is bolted, as at 4|, a pulley 42.

A pair of elliptical transfer springs 43 are secured to the underside ofthe pulley 42 by means of shackles 44, through which the bolts 4|extend. Secured to the lower spring 43 is a bracket 45 having a socketextension arm 46 which is adapted to accommodate a ball 41A secured toone end of the drag link 41, the latter being pivotally,

connected at the other end to the spindle arm 29. A similar assembly ismounted to the bed plate 32 except that the rear pulley 42A has a singlegroove instead of a double groove as provided in the front pulley 42.

It will be understood therefore, that the front and rear wheels aremoved in pairs through the rotation of the pulleys 42 and 42A'and theelliptical springs 43, and the movement of the drag links 41.

It will also be understood thatwith this combination and arrangement ofelements, the trailer frame is free to move up and down on the springsl9 and 20 without interfering with the steering mechanism which is alsoprovided with flexibility through the transverse elliptical springs 43.The springs 43 permit the frame and the steering mechanism to move upand down with the springs l9 and 20, and yet provide a positive steeringaction without the use of splines on the spindles 31.

Crossed cables 48 and 49 are secured to the pulleys 42 and 42A so thatthe latter may rotate in opposite directions, causing the front and rearwheels to move correspondingly so that the trailer will automaticallytrack the towing vehicle.

Cables 50 and 5| are secured to the front pulley 42, and to turn buckles52 and 53, which clamps 55 and 56 to the bumper of a towing vehicle. Thedraw beam 54 is pivoted, as at 51,

to a member 58. Diverging arms 59 and it connect the member 58 to thetrailer frame by means of the clevises GI and 62. An adjustable crossarm 63 serves as a brace between the diverging arms 59 and 60.

With the structure just described, it will be seen that the angulardisplacement between the towing unit and the trailer causes the drawbeam 54 to pivot about the point '51, and inasmuch as the draw beam isrigidly attached to the bumper of the towing unit, the cables 50 andtransmit this reaction to the pulley 42 and oppositely to the pulley 42AThe pulleys in turn transmit the motion to the elliptical springs 43,and the to each bed plate, a spindle rotatably mounted in each hub, apulley mounted for rotation with each of said spindles, a pair ofelliptical springs secured to the underside of each pulley, a drag linksecured to an arm secured to the underside of each pair of ellipticalsprings, each of said drag links being adapted to pivot a pair ofwheels, and crossed cables connecting one of said pulleys to saidotherpulley.

CHESTER WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

drag links 4! to the tie rods 30 and 3| which steer the wheels UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Having described my invention, what I claim Number NameDate and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1,470,323 Nabors t 9,1923 In a device of the character described, includ- 1,568,417Rhenbottom Jan. 5, 1926 ing a trailer frame, axles resiliently mountedto 1,925,712 c b n Sept 5 1933 said trailer frame, and pairs of wheelspivotally 2,206,991 Williams et al. July 'I, 1940 mounted on each axle,the combination of transverse bed plates secured to said frame aboveFOREIGN PATENTS said axles, each bed plate having a central open- NumberCountry Date ing adapted to accommodate a hub, a hub secured 5,983 GreatBritain Mar. 12, 1906

